The Accidental Time Traveller (41 page)
Read The Accidental Time Traveller Online
Authors: Sharon Griffiths
Tags: #Women Journalists, #Reality Television Programs, #Nineteen Fifties, #Time Travel
With that Leo and Jake, arm in arm, came laughing up to their mothers, took their hands and danced them gently across the lawn, all four joined together, the mothers laughing at their sons’ happiness, and relief at the cool grass on their hot stockinged feet.
And suddenly they were going. Waiters came around with ice-cream cake, coffee and trays of liqueurs, and there were Leo and Jake at the top of the stairs, thanking us all for coming, blowing us all kisses and getting huge cheers.
‘I’ve got no bouquet to throw,’ said Jake, ‘but instead I shall throw you my … button hole.’
And he freed the flower from his jacket and tossed it with a flourish down into the group standing at the bottom of the steps. The lad in the pink suit reached for it, as did a few others. But, to my surprise, it was Will who leapt high into the air and grabbed it from above the heads of them all.
‘I always was great in the line-out,’ he said, amid cheers and cat calls and foot stamping.
There were even more yells when he tucked the flower into the very low neckline of my dress.
‘Your turn next!’ shouted Jake. ‘And so far I can recommend it most strongly.’
Off they went to catch their flight which would eventually take them up to the edge of the Arctic Circle where they wanted the twenty-four hours of daylight. After cheering them on their way, the guests split into little groups, some making leaving noises, others ordering more drinks, a few energetic souls planning to go clubbing, the parents and aunties by now the best of friends and beaming with happiness that the day had gone well.
‘What would you like to do?’ asked Will as I shrugged into my tiny jacket.
‘Well, I don’t want anything more to eat or drink – not for a week at least.’
‘I think we’re ready for home. Shall I call a cab?’
‘No, let’s walk.’
The Shire Hall was in the old part of town, and I knew which way I wanted to go. We slipped through the gardens and along the path through a small secluded square and along the crescent of lovely Georgian houses that are now the offices of solicitors and PR firms, until we found ourselves by the steps leading up to the old town walls. The tapas bar was bouncing, and people were overflowing up the steps and onto the walls, but after twenty or thirty yards their noise faded into the distance and we were alone.
In the soft evening light we could see along the river and across to the banks on the other side. The click click of my kitten heels echoed against the old stones.
‘The last time we walked along here I was going flump flump flump in wellies.’
‘I don’t remember that.’
‘Well no, it wasn’t you, not now.’
‘Your dream again? My alter ego?’
‘That’s it.’
There was a bench now just where there had been a bench before. New bench, old walls. We sat down and I looked across the river. All the streets of little old houses had gone. Instead there was a block of very expensive apartments, a green open space, a car park, and a neat and tidy cycle path.
‘There was a little house over there, where your alter ego lived with Caz and the children. The house was horrible, very picturesque, but dark and damp and smelly, no electricity and the only tap was a cold one in the kitchen. But you had a huge garden that stretched all the way up the hill and you had lots of very neat rows of vegetables. And a rickety old shed that you wanted to replace, and cold frames that your son helped you build.’
I remembered the togetherness of the little family and the pain of being excluded from Will’s life. I couldn’t believe that he was here beside me now. I leant against him, pleased that I had the right to snuggle up to him, to claim him as my own.
‘That reminds me!’ Will sat up suddenly.
‘What? That you have a wife and children and a passion for gardening?’ I could almost, almost, joke about my dream now.
‘No, there was something in the post this morning from the estate agent. The postman arrived just as I was going out to bring the car around and I stuffed the letter in my pocket and forgot all about it.’
He pulled out an envelope from his inside pocket and ripped it open.
‘Don’t suppose it’ll be any more interesting than the rest of the overpriced dolls’ houses he’s sent us.’ He looked. ‘On the other hand …’
I snatched the details from him and peered in the dying light. I could see a picture of a house, a square-ish no-nonsense sort of a house, solid and surrounded by gardens. I liked the look of it. It immediately appealed to me.
‘Three bedrooms … two reception … original fireplaces … needs some work … plenty of room to extend.’ Will read the details out loud as I peered over, still looking at that picture. ‘… large well-maintained garden including lawn, orchard and vegetable plot.
‘I think I could take to gardening,’ said Will. ‘I mean, I’ve grown those chillies haven’t I? I can learn. I quite fancy going out and picking nice fresh veg. Could get used to that.’ Already he could see himself as the new Monty Don.
‘Anyway, we’ll ring them tomorrow to take a look, shall we?’ he said. ‘If it needs doing up that’s why the price is almost affordable. But we can do that. We’ve got the rest of our lives, haven’t we? When I’m not growing prize marrows or whatever.’
I was laughing. ‘Tell you what,’ I said, ‘I’ll even buy you a shed.’
‘A shed! It’s a deal!’
Will pulled me to my feet and put his arm around me. The bench and the wall and the river, and the memory of that dark damp little house faded into the darkness as Will and I walked into our future together.
THE ACCIDENTAL TIME TRAVELLER
Born and brought up in Wales, Sharon Griffiths had a free-range 1950s childhood. After grammar school, she read English at the University of Bristol, then worked for the BBC and later in newspapers. Sharon met her husband, a fellow journalist, on a press trip and they went on to have two sons. Among other journalism she now writes five newspaper columns a week.
For more information on Sharon go to
www.sharon-griffiths.com
and visit
www.AuthorTracker.co.uk
for exclusive updates.
Newspaper cuttings
Joy for journalists
Two journalists on
The News
were married yesterday at St Bartholomew’s church. Will West (30) was recently appointed Deputy Editor of
The News,
and Rosie Harford (29) writes the popular Glitzy Green column. The wedding comes a year after Ms Harford nearly died from meningitis.
Best Sellers
Non Fiction
A Load of Balls, Footballing Lives
by Clayton Silver
Nigella’s Sumptuous Suppers
Think Yourself Thin by Summer
by Anna Hardy
Eat Less, Exercise More, the Ultimate Diet Book
Glitzy Green, a stylish way to save the planet
by Rosie Harford
Misery, my Wretched Childhood
by Belinda O’Connor
West.
On 4 September to Will and Rosie (Harford) twin sons, Adam and Owen. Mother and babies doing well, Father still in state of shock.
(Pic caption) Former
News
journalist Caz Carter stars in her own story this week when she opens Spangles, featuring vintage and retro clothing reworked into new fashion. Caz (left) models an original 1950s full cotton skirt in a design of a Paris street scene. Her partner in the enterprise is former colleague, the columnist and author Rosie Harford who has helped make green living glamorous.
Honour for local Head Teacher
Rosemary Picton, head of The Meadows Comprehensive School, has been awarded the OBE for services to education. Mrs Picton (57) has been head of the 1600 pupil school for eight years, and is credited with its transformation. From being on the verge of special measures, it is now the highest achieving school in the area, with a waiting list for admissions.
‘I’m proud to accept this award on behalf of the children at The Meadows, whom it is a privilege to teach,’ said Mrs Picton. ‘Also on behalf of the staff who work so hard and so willingly. My only sadness is that my mother did not live to see it, for she was my inspiration. She was the one who always insisted that every child deserved a chance.’
Editor to retire
The Editor of
The News,
Jan Fox, is to retire at the end of the year. Since she returned to
The News,
the paper on which she trained in the 1960s, Ms Fox has won many accolades and awards for
The News.
‘We have always tried to make the most of modern technology while retaining our traditional values,’ said Ms Fox, who had her own television shows in the 1980s and early 1990s.
She will be taking over as Honorary Director of the Parkfields Trust, a local charity for mentally disturbed children. ‘It has long been a cause close to my heart and I am grateful for the chance to be more actively involved,’ said Ms Fox.
Windfall for local school
Children at Prendergast Primary School will be a lot more adventurous thanks to a legacy from a former pupil. Australian newspaper proprietor Philip Tasker, who died recently aged 80, was a pupil at Prendergast before the war. He has left the school £100,000 on condition that it is used for trips to broaden the children’s horizons.
Mr Tasker started his career on
The News
before moving to Fleet Street and then to Australia where he owned a number of newspapers.
His son David said, ‘My father had many happy memories of his childhood in England and wanted to give something back to the school, which had given him such a good start in life.’
Rosie Harford found herself stuck in the 1950s, where she discovered how hard it was for a Noughties girl to live in an earlier world.
But which decade suits you best? Take our fun quiz and find out!
QUESTIONS
1. Where’s your favourite place to spend a Friday night with the girls?
2. What’s your favourite kind of film?
3. Which outfit in your wardrobe always makes you look great?
4. What kind of food gets your mouth watering?
5. What’s your favourite make-up look?
Q1
A) You love a night at your local disco, dancing round your handbag to Wham and Mel and Kim
B) You can often be found enjoying a night of strike action at your bowling alley
C) Friday nights find you at the local indie club, dancing with floppy-fringed boys wearing eyeliner.
Q2
A) You love a night in with a selection of John Hughes’ finest, such as
The Breakfast Club
or
Pretty in Pink
– or maybe even
Weird Science!
B) Your perfect evening is snuggling up with a bowl of popcorn to watch the classics such as
Singing in the Rain
or
Some like it Hot
– as far as you’re concerned they just don’t make them like they used to …
C) You can often be found at the local multiplex marvelling at the amazing special effects in
Lords of the Rings
or
Pirates of the Caribbean.
Q3
A) White stilettos, peachy pink power suit with shoulder pads, and lots of ruffles
B) A strapless boned top, teamed with your best circle skirt (with petticoat underneath), worn with kitten heels and red lipstick … and a vertiginous beehive!
C) You rock knee-length boots tucked into designer skinny jeans, teamed with a strappy top and a HUGE handbag tucked under your arm …
Q4
A) Your perfect dinner party consists of a cheese fondue followed by a strawberry pavlova
B) You love comfort food like shepherd’s pie, followed by a delicious jam roly-poly
C) You’re always at the organic market, stocking up on tofu and free-range chickens before using the latest Jamie Oliver cookbook to create a tasty dish.
Q5
A) Bright blue eyeshadow and Rimmel frosted pink lippy teamed with lots of tawny blusher and a splash of
Charlie
B) Flicked cat-like eyeliner (from a solid block), lots of black mascara and a pale foundation, set off with vampy red lipstick
C) You always carry your St Tropez bronzer, Juicy Tubes lipgloss and your trusty Touche Eclat concealer for the under-eye bags.
MOSTLY A’S – YOU HEART THE EIGHTIES!
Your decade of choice is the 1980s and you feel vindicated at the fact that neon, ra-ra skirts and shoulder pads are now appearing again on the fashion catwalk. Celebrate your Eighties-ness with some cheese and pineapple on a stick – but remember, lunch is for wimps …
MOSTLY B’S – FIFTIES GLAMOUR
You are a true 1950s glamour puss and probably greet your boyfriend wearing a floral pinny, high heels and pearls, with the smell of tasty cooking coming from the oven. Even if it just a ready meal from Marks and Spencers …
MOSTLY C’S – TOTALLY NOUGHTIES
A modern girl through and through, you love the fact that the 21st century offers you the best of all worlds, from twenties flapper fashion to readily available sushi on every high street … and the fact you can have music wherever you go, courtesy of your trusty iPod.